Mission to Mars
Semi-dormant volcanoes, impressive waterfalls, steep valleys, stunning basins, razor-sharp mountain peaks, black sandy beaches, and otherworldly mounds, all united on an island about the size of the canton of Ticino? Yes, that combination exists! Welcome to the Indian Ocean southeast of Madagascar, and welcome to the French overseas territory of La Réunion.
La, what? Yes, La Réunion is not particularly well-known. The neighboring island, Mauritius, is more famous. La Réunion appeared on my radar for the first time in 2013. At that time, advertisements for the island were displayed in the trams in Zurich, but at the time, the journey appeared too long for a holiday. As Michelle planned her yoga retreat in India for January, I was looking for a worthy destination for my next travel destination after South Africa. The proposal for La Réunion came from our Uganda travel companion Michèle, and voilà, I liked the idea!
That the island is "near" South Africa came in handy, but not the cyclone season, which lasts usually between January and March. After thorough research, I concluded that while cyclones are indeed a concern, these storms typically veer off course before hitting the island. In the last 10 years, only one cyclone swept directly over the island, so I thought I only have to be on the right side of the statistics. Nevertheless, I decided to plan a few extra days as a precautionary measure so that bad weather and storm influences would not make it impossible to explore the island. A solid plan, as it would later turn out.
A warm welcome by Belal
Before the flight from Cape Town to Saint-Denis, La Réunion's capital, I checked daily weather and cyclone forecasts. Everything seemed fine until I did the weather check at Cape Town airport a few hours before departure. It no longer said, "There is no cyclone activity over the southwestern Indian Ocean," but suddenly there was a cyclone forecast, predicting the storm Belal would sweep across the island in the next 96 hours. So much on being "on the right side of the statistics." At least the flight could proceed as scheduled. Upon arrival in St. Denis, the weather was already slightly stormy. The mission was clear: pick up the rental car, drive to the accommodation in Bras-Panon on the northeast coast, and get a better understanding of the latest do's and don'ts.
Séverine and François, my two hosts, informed me that alerte rouge would be in effect from 8:00 pm onwards. From then on, people had to barricade themselves at home until the alert was revoked. I used the remaining hours to go on an errand and also for a last run. There was already a bit of hustle and bustle in the supermarket, but I was delighted to have after a while again a proper selection of cheese. I was ready for the cyclone. Séverine and François made the house stormproof: all garden furniture was brought inside, the tool shed barricaded, and water was boiled in the kitchen. The couple is originally from mainland France, also called France métropolitaine, and came to La Réunion five years ago. This would be the strongest storm since their arrival and we made jokes that a "real" stay in La Réunion includes experiencing a cyclone.
The time from Saturday evening to Sunday evening was calm. Of course, it was stormy outside, but with closed shutters, I could sleep like a baby (especially after my night flight from Cape Town). From Sunday night until Monday afternoon, the storm became more vigorous, but thanks to the good preparations, there were no significant damages on the property. However, the power went out at some point, then the mobile network, and finally, the water supply. I bridged the time of the blackout by honing my Sudoku skills. Fortunately, Belal did not directly pass over the island but brushed it less severely than predicted on the northeast coast. The ordeal was over by Monday evening, and we witnessed a glorious sunset. On Tuesday morning, we eagerly followed the radio news, which announced that the alerte rouge would be lifted at 1:00 pm. Time for my onward journey.
A volcano and its collapsed magma chambers
That Cyclone Belal had caused significant damage became obvious when listening to the radio. They reported many blocked roads. I planned to spend my next five nights in the mountains, specifically in the Cirque du Salazie, but it was still being determined whether the road would be passable. After saying au revoir to Séverine and François, I first drove towards the capital, hoping to get internet reception and find out from André, my next host, whether I could go up to Cirque du Salazie. The matter became apparent when my mobile phone was connected to the world again. André informed me that the damage in his village and to the road up was considerable, and he could only receive guests again in roughly 4 days. Shortly after that, I received a cancellation notice from the next accommodation. I did what I always do in such situations: I took a deep breath first. Next, I booked accommodation for one night and decided to plan the next few days from there. Upon arriving at that hotel, I booked more accommodations and made a rough plan for the next few days. Luckily, the weather gods wanted to atone for the previous days.
As mentioned earlier, La Réunion is about the size of the canton of Ticino. I've created a small illustration for you so that you can better grasp the island and its typography. The birth of La Réunion was about three million years ago when the Piton des Neiges volcano rose from the Indian Ocean. The emptied magma chambers on the volcano's flanks eventually collapsed, creating three basins called Cirque. The Piton des Neiges is now the highest point in La Réunion and also the highest mountain in the Indian Ocean. Southeast lies the still-active Piton de la Fournaise volcano. It's considered one of the most active volcanoes on our planet; since 1950, there have been over 47 eruptions. Thanks to such eruptions, where the lava usually flows into the ocean on the island's eastern side, La Réunion regularly grows.
The island has various microclimates. So it may be that it rains heavily somewhere on the island, and 30 minutes away, the sun is shining. You can explore the island flexibly and avoid bad weather with a rental car. Of course, provided the macroclimate is correct and you are not stuck in traffic. La Réunion has about 900,000 residents, most of whom travel by car. There is public transportation, but their frequency, range, and flexibility are unsuitable for exploring the island. Enough of the geography lesson, back to my trip.
Mission to Mars
Day by day, the situation normalized; roads were again passable without risky detours, and I was highly motivated to explore the various natural wonders of the isle. Proper research and preparation were still necessary. Many hiking trails still needed to be cleared. Fortunately, the way to the Piton de la Fournaise volcano was quickly reopened. I was advised to arrive there before sunrise to enjoy the unique landscapes with the colorful morning light. As a hobby photographer (working hard for you rodamón mag-readers), no one needs to explain to me that the golden hour is best for photography... but the planned wake-up time didn't bring much joy. The ascent would take about 75 minutes, and sunrise would be at 05:46 am, so with a buffer, I had to roll out of bed at 4:00 am.
Getting up early paid off. From the parking lot, there was a fantastic view of the volcano, the surroundings, and the island's highest peak. I then hiked to the volcano, first down into the central basin, then past the Formica Leo, a mound of volcanic rock that one would expect more on Mars than on Earth. Finally, I hiked up over lava rock for another 90 minutes; on the crater rim, I was rewarded with a jaw-dropping view into the crater and a magnificent perspective on the island's northeast side.
Impressive waterfalls and impressive rainfall
La Réunion is also an island of superlatives in the discipline of precipitation. Nowhere on earth does fall as much rain per day or within a few days as here. In 2007, 3929mm of rain was measured within three days. For comparison, In Zurich, the average annual precipitation is 1136mm. Of course, this doesn't mean it only rained during my three weeks on the island. The east of the island is much more affected by rain than the west. A nice side effect of the high rainfall is the numerous majestic, roaring, and foaming waterfalls scattered across the island. Exploring them can be perfectly combined with hikes.
After checking out the area in the southeast around St. Pierre, it was time to explore one of these Cirques. I booked five nights in the Cirque du Cilaos, the largest of the three Cirques and a starting point for dizzying hikes. It's also the perfect base for walks up to the Piton des Neiges. The drive to Cilaos is an experience on its own. Those who love the windiest road in Switzerland between Chur and Arosa with its 360 curves would be even more amazed on the way to Cilaos. The climb to 1200 meters above sea level leads through 400 twists and turns. The more altitude I gained, the worse the visibility became. Hmm, wasn't there something? Before leaving the previous place, my Airbnb host mentioned a new cyclone on the way, but he said that Candice was moving more towards Mauritius.
Upon arriving at the hotel, Vincent, the owner, gave me a weather briefing. Indeed, Candice brings lousy weather with her, and there will likely be a lot of rain in the next few days. However, one cannot solely rely on the forecasts (keyword microclimate), so I should judge from day to day. Well, unfortunately, the macroclimate was the decisive factor. Out of the 4 days, three days were so rainy that I always looked like a freshly watered poodle after the 450 meters to the bakery or restaurant. Fortunately, there was a morning with glorious sunshine, and the rest of the time, I used for my scuba diving course e-learnings, photo editing, and reading.
For the hike to the highest mountain I was convinced that the odds were in my favor; the weather turned for my last 36 hours in Cilaos. After buying food for the next day's hike and packing my backpack, at 2:00 pm, Vincent knocked at my door. He informed me that the road from Cilaos down to the valley would be open for two hours this evening. Apparently, the road had been closed shortly after my arrival because heavy rainfall had caused landslides and rockfalls. It was still being determined when the road would open again; he just wanted to inform me so I could decide whether to stay or leave. After an intensive brainstorming session with Vincent, of course in French, I decided to take advantage of the time window. As an alternative to the Piton des Neiges hike, Vincent recommended the hike to Grand Bénare, which also allows for great views and is the third-highest peak on the island at 2896 meters.
Picnic, bourbon vanilla, and curry
I spent the last five nights in St. Gilles, a tourist town near the beautiful Plage de l'Hermitage beach. The last few days, all sunny, were all about culture. On Sunday, I experienced a typical island ritual called "pique-nique du dimanche en famille," where families gather at the beach, viewpoints, or in forests for a picnic.
On another day, I visited a vanilla plantation; La Réunion is one of the leading vanilla producers worldwide. There are a few photos of the production process in the gallery. The name Bourbon Vanilla also comes from here. When the French landed on the island in the 17th century and called out a colony, they named the island Île Bourbon after the founder of the French East India Company. During French colonization, French settlers came to La Réunion and brought enslaved people from Madagascar, East Africa, and India to work on the sugarcane and vanilla plantations. The descendants of the settlers and enslaved people today form a relatively homogeneous society called Creoles. In addition to French, the official language, many residents also speak Réunion Creole, which is based on French. Here are some examples: Zenfants are children, a Touris is a tourist, and Siouplé means please. Indian influences are particularly evident in the cuisine; practically everywhere, you can get a Cari... which, drumroll, is a curry.
La Réunion in 55 minutes
The highlight of my Réunion trip was a 55-minute helicopter tour over the island. This flight was a gift from my loyal apprenticeship friends and their missus on my 30th birthday. The helicopter gods answered my prayers and gave me the best of the six seats in the Airbus H130. Watch the video, where I've compiled some impressive shots.
La Réunion is a genuinely fabulous place; nature lovers and outdoor enthusiasts will definitely get their money's worth here. With a bit of flexibility (especially in the tropical summer) and a basic knowledge of French, one can have a fantastic time.
For me, it's time to go to Mauritius, where I will uncover the island for a few days and then do the PADI Open Water diving course.
Take care and see you soon!
Chris
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Carmelita (Sonntag, 04 Februar 2024 11:32)
❤️ Meeega!